Page 27 of Hexmate (Widdershins Supernatural Academy #1)
Chapter 27
Caden
I f it wasn’t for the way that singlet hugged Atlas’s ass, I would’ve had a hard time focusing on the match. However, considering he was covered in glistening sweat and every inch of his muscular body was highlighted by the spandex stretched thin over him, I was too busy gawking at him to think of much else. Although his opponent, a Beastkin, was much larger than him, I had no doubt he would win his match. And now that we were bonded as both mate and familiar, I could feel his confidence and power through the bond. He knew he was going to win too.
Atlas moved with a primal grace that no human wrestler could match. The Beastkin lunged, but Atlas slipped aside effortlessly, his golden eyes flashing with predatory intent as he countered with a swift takedown. The crowd erupted, but their cheers faded to background noise as I focused on the way his muscles bunched and flexed beneath that damned singlet.
A wave of possessive heat surged through our bond, and Atlas’s gaze snapped to mine for just a moment. He knew I was watching. Knew exactly what I was thinking. A smirk curved his lips before he returned his attention to his opponent.
“Put him down, Faolan!” someone shouted from the stands.
I felt a thrill of pride mixed with desire as Atlas executed a perfect throw, pinning the Beastkin with ruthless efficiency. The referee slapped the mat, and Atlas rose to his feet, victorious as always. His chest heaved with exertion, dark hair damp with sweat, and I could feel his satisfaction pulsing through our connection.
The referee raised Atlas’s arm in victory, and the crowd went wild. His teammates howled their approval, not caring who might hear the inhuman sounds. Everyone at Widdershins Academy, including the visiting team, was part of the supernatural community, anyway. There was no reason for secrecy.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, my arousal painfully obvious. Through our bond, I felt Atlas’s amusement at my predicament. The bastard was enjoying my discomfort.
As the teams lined up to shake hands, Atlas broke protocol to look directly at me again. His golden eyes seemed to glow under the gymnasium lights, and he mouthed two words: “Ten minutes.”
My heart hammered against my ribs. I knew what that meant. The locker room would be empty soon enough—the team always celebrated victories at a bar just off campus that catered to the supernatural population. And with all the danger on campus recently, they were sure to leave campus as fast as possible and under the watchful eye of parents, coaches, and security.
I slipped out of the bleachers and made my way to the secluded corridor behind the gymnasium. The hallway smelled of floor cleaner and sweat, but I didn’t care. My magic thrummed beneath my skin, responding to Atlas’s proximity even through walls. Being bonded to a werewolf was far more intoxicating than I expected. And, just for this once, I was going to allow myself to give into the moment.
I knew the moment we left the gym, we would be in danger. If our plan worked, we’d come face to face with the witch trying to kill the monster students on campus, Rowan Hargrove. We wanted to face him, to bring an end to all the violence and curses he was slinging at the students. But if things didn’t go well, if by some chance we had severely underestimated our foe, this might be the last hour we had together. And I wasn’t about to waste that opportunity.
The locker room door banged open precisely nine minutes later, and Atlas stalked toward me with predatory intent. He’d showered hastily, water droplets still clinging to his dark hair, but he’d barely bothered to dress—just basketball shorts riding low on his hips, exposing the cut V of muscle disappearing beneath the waistband.
“You’re distracting me during matches now?” he growled, backing me against the wall. His scent enveloped me—pine and earth and musky werewolf that made my magic spark beneath my skin.
“I wasn’t doing anything,” I protested weakly, unable to tear my gaze from the water droplet sliding down his chest.
Atlas’s laugh was low and dangerous. “Your thoughts were so loud I could practically hear them.” He pressed closer, trapping me between his body and the wall. “Every filthy thing you wanted me to do to you.” He leaned even closer. “All you had to do was ask, Caden.”
His mouth crashed against mine, hungry and demanding. I surrendered immediately, my hands clutching at his broad shoulders as he lifted me effortlessly. My legs wrapped around his waist, and he ground against me, making me gasp into his mouth.
“We don’t have much time,” I muttered breathlessly. “If we want to catch him…”
“I won’t need long,” Atlas growled back, his teeth against my neck. “I’m so fucking turned on already I can barely think.”
I moaned as his teeth grazed my skin, not quite breaking the surface but threatening to. Through our bond, I could feel the wolf inside him, eager and restless, wanting to claim what was his.
“Atlas,” I gasped as his hands slid beneath my shirt, hot palms against my cooler skin. The temperature difference between us was something new I’d noticed—werewolves ran several degrees hotter than humans, and even warmer than witches like me.
“Say it again,” he demanded, golden eyes flashing in the dim corridor light. “Say my name.”
“Atlas,” I breathed, and he rewarded me by grinding his hips against mine, the thin fabric of his basketball shorts doing nothing to hide his arousal.
The magic within me responded to his touch, tiny green shoots sprouting from the cracks in the linoleum floor beneath us. It happened whenever we were together like this—my nature magic manifesting without my conscious control. The first time, Atlas had been surprised. Now he seemed to take pride in it, as though my inability to contain my power was a testament to his effect on me.
“I can feel how much you want this,” he murmured against my throat, one hand sliding down to palm me through my jeans. “I can smell it too.”
My head fell back against the wall with a thud. “Anyone could walk by,” I whispered, even as my hips pushed forward into his touch. Not that I really cared.
“Let them,” Atlas growled, his eyes flashing gold in the dim hallway. “Let them see who you belong to.”
He spun us around, carrying me through the locker room door and kicking it shut behind us. The sound of the lock clicking into place sent a shiver down my spine. In one fluid motion, he set me on my feet and yanked my shirt over my head, tossing it aside before backing me against the lockers.
The metal was cold against my bare skin, but I barely noticed as Atlas dropped to his knees in front of me. His fingers worked at my belt, unbuckling it with practiced ease.
“We have ten minutes before we need to be in position,” he said, looking up at me through dark lashes. “I intend to make every second count.”
My breath hitched as he tugged my jeans and boxers down in one swift motion. The cool air hit my exposed skin, but Atlas’s breath was hot against my thigh. My cock throbbed, bouncing less than an inch from his nose.
“Every. Second.” He emphasized each word with a kiss pressed to my hipbone, my stomach, working his way down with deliberate slowness that made me squirm.
When his mouth finally closed around my aching cock, I had to bite my lip to keep from crying out. My fingers threaded through his damp hair, and he growled his approval, the vibration sending sparks of pleasure up my spine. Vines began curling up the sides of the lockers, tiny buds unfurling into flowers that had no business blooming in a boys’ locker room.
His tongue swirled while he sucked, one hand gently tugging on my balls to heighten the sensation. I closed my eyes, leaning back against the lockers as I did nothing to stifle my moans. We hadn’t been doing this for that long, but he was damn good at it already. In less than a minute I could already feel myself approaching the edge.
“Atlas,” I gasped, tugging gently at his hair. “I’m not going to last if you keep?—”
He pulled back, golden eyes glinting up at me. “That’s the point, Caden.” My name sounded sweet on his lips.
“Wait,” I said, pulling his head back. “Wouldn’t you rather fuck me instead?”
Atlas’s eyes flashed dangerously, pupils dilating until only a thin ring of gold remained. A low, rumbling growl vibrated from his chest as he surged to his feet with inhuman speed.
“You can’t just say things like that,” he snarled, his voice dropping an octave. Through our bond, I felt his control slipping—the wolf clawing closer to the surface.
“Why not?” I challenged, surprising myself with my boldness. I was usually the shy one, the hesitant one, but something about our impending confrontation with Rowan made me reckless. “It’s what you want, isn’t it? What we both want.”
Atlas’s hands clamped around my waist, lifting me effortlessly and spinning us around. He sat me on one of the benches, his basketball shorts tented obscenely. “Turn around,” he commanded, voice rough.
I complied, heart hammering as I braced my hands on the cool metal of the bench. Behind me, I heard the rustle of fabric as Atlas shoved his shorts down. His hot palm pressed against the small of my back, pushing me into a deeper arch.
“We don’t have time to do this properly,” Atlas growled, his voice strained with restraint. “But I can’t wait. Not after seeing you watching me like that.”
I reached back, twirling my fingers through the air. All at once my hand filled with a sticky clear substance that I’d used on him more than once. Natural aloe always made an excellent lube, and plants were my specialty after all.
“Do it,” I urged, arching my back further and smearing the viscous fluid over my aching hole. “We’ve got a villain to catch tonight, so don’t hold back.”
His laugh was dark and promising. “Careful what you wish for, Caden.” He leaned close, his thick cockhead coming to rest against my hole. “But I won’t hurt you.”
The snap of Atlas’s hand slapping my ass echoed in the empty locker room. Atlas was always gentle, but he knew I didn’t want gentle right now. I just wanted him. That didn’t stop him from working me open with practiced efficiency that made my toes curl against the tiled floor.
“Fuck, you’re tight,” he muttered, adding a second finger alongside the first. “Always so tight for me.”
My arms trembled as he curled his fingers, finding that spot inside me that made stars burst behind my eyelids. A moan escaped me, embarrassingly loud in the quiet room.
“That’s it,” Atlas encouraged, his free hand gripping my hip with bruising force. “Let me hear you.”
A third finger joined the others, stretching me with a delicious burn that had me rocking back against his hand. The flowers sprouting along the lockers multiplied, their sweet scent filling the air as my magic responded to my arousal.
“Atlas, please,” I begged, past caring how desperate I sounded. “I’m ready.”
He withdrew his fingers, and I felt the blunt pressure of his cock against my entrance once more. Even after all our times together, the size of him still made me catch my breath. It was nothing compared to his Alpha form though, and I’d taken that. So, I was confident I’d be fine. He pushed forward slowly, one hand rubbing soothing circles on my lower back as he eased inside.
“Breathe,” he murmured, his voice strained with the effort of holding back. “That’s it, Caden. Take me.”
I exhaled slowly, relaxing around him as he sank deeper. The sensation of being filled so completely sent shivers racing up my spine. When he was fully seated, we both paused, panting. Through our bond, I could feel his pleasure mirroring my own, creating a feedback loop of sensation that threatened to overwhelm us both. The vines along the lockers thickened, small white flowers blooming in response to my pleasure.
“We don’t have much time,” I reminded him, voice breaking as he shifted slightly inside me.
Atlas growled in response, pulling back until just the tip remained before driving forward again. The bench beneath us creaked with the force of his thrust.
“Then I’ll make it count,” he promised, setting a punishing pace that had me clutching the bench for support.
Each powerful thrust pushed me forward, and I braced myself against the cool metal. The sound of skin slapping against skin echoed through the empty locker room, punctuated by our mingled groans. Atlas’s fingers dug into my hips, holding me in place as he claimed me with a possessiveness that made my cock throb painfully.
“Mine,” he growled, leaning over my back to nip at my shoulder. His teeth grazed my skin, not breaking the surface but reminding me of what he could do if he wanted. “My witch. My mate.”
“Yours,” I gasped, the word barely audible as pleasure built at the base of my spine. “And you’re mine too. My mate. My familiar.”
Atlas growled at that, the sound rumbling through his chest and into mine. His rhythm faltered for just a moment before he redoubled his efforts, driving into me with renewed passion. The bench beneath us groaned in protest.
“Always,” he panted against my ear. “Always yours.”
His hand snaked around to grasp my neglected cock, stroking in time with his thrusts. The dual sensation was overwhelming, pleasure spiraling through me with such intensity that my magic flared wildly. The flowers along the lockers burst into full bloom, vines creeping across the ceiling and down the walls, turning the harsh locker room into a verdant paradise.
“Atlas,” I moaned, feeling my climax approaching rapidly. “I’m close?—”
“Come for me,” he commanded, his voice a rough whisper against my neck. “Let me feel you.”
His thumb swiped over the sensitive head of my cock, and that was all it took. I came with a cry, spilling over his fingers as my body clenched around him. Through our bond, I felt his pleasure spike in response to mine, his thrusts becoming erratic as he chased his own release.
With a guttural growl that was more wolf than human, Atlas pressed deep inside me and came, his cock pulsing as he filled me, his cum hot and thick inside me. His forehead dropped to my shoulder, his breath hot against my sweat-slicked skin as we both trembled with aftershocks.
For a moment, we stayed like that, connected and breathless. The vines around us rustled softly, petals drifting down to land on our entwined bodies. Atlas pressed gentle kisses along my spine, a stark contrast to the rough claiming of moments before.
“We should clean up,” I murmured reluctantly, glancing at the clock on the wall. “We’ve got two minutes before we need to be in position.”
Atlas sighed, carefully withdrawing from me. I winced slightly at the emptiness, at the warm trickle down my thigh. With a tenderness that still surprised me, Atlas helped me stand, steadying me when my legs threatened to give out.
“Here,” he said, grabbing a clean towel from his gym bag. He dampened it at the sink and returned to me, gently cleaning the evidence of our encounter from my skin. He stopped only for a moment to kiss me softly, his eyes soft and full of affection.
“I love you, Atlas,” I said, cupping his cheek.
“I love you too, Caden,” he replied, tossing the towel to the side. “Now let’s go stop this asshole from hurting our friends.”